Mama said there'd be days like this...

Today was one of the hardest days of my life.

We all go through struggles, different ones. But sometimes you have that one day when you feel as if the wind has just been knocked out of you.

That was me today. It's amazing how one moment can seem to turn your life upside down and it's so easy to react, slipping into Darwin's survival of the fittest.

But, mama said there would be days like this, and so- in that moment- I had to remember who loves me most, who loves me best, who loves me always: JESUS. You see, we all come to that point in our walk where faith is no longer a choice/option/something outside of us, but part of our physiological make-up- like the need to breathe. Spiritual growth is not child's play and the closer you walk with God, the more challenges you will face because His Destiny is guiding you. At times it will take everything inside of you not to give up and you have to remind your soul that God is always for you.

That's when holding on to hold onto God's promises become not an option, but a reality.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11

So, this is my note to you "live" from the valley. I do not know what you may be going through right now: emotionally, physically, psychologically, financially or even spiritually- BUT I know a God who is able to pull you through it all and bring you through to the other side VICTORIOUSLY. I met Him when I was eight and He has NEVER failed me yet :)

Yes, mama said there'd be days like this- and Jesus would bring us through them all:)

"The LORD your God is with you. He is a hero who saves you. He happily rejoices over you, renews you with His love, and celebrates over you with shouts of joy."

#Zephaniah3:17

#TrustHim #GodCAN
 
PS. Jesus really adores you!  



Take Care:)

©2013 Allison Marche' Pillay

I've Become a Screen-Saver

 I've become a Screen-Saver

I've become a screen saver
Barer of my soul to an LCD
A million pixels staring back at me
Pretending that this conversation
Between you and me
Is just between us two
Knowing that it ain't true


I've become a button pusher
Watching as qwerty keys define my emotions
Knocking me over in words like potions
When I ask you to define your use of Lov without an 'e'
You question my devotion to your technology?
Where every 'lol' seems to be a prison encaging me
As we hide heart beats behind emoticons and smiley faces-
dying

to be

set free


I've become a habitual partaker
In using keys to hide words
And letters to unlock meaning,
All the while screaming and just wishing I
Could hear your voice
The sound of your teeth as they articulate
Voiced dental fricatives
Like 'this' and 'that'
But,
I have no choice
But to wait

For, this advancement of communication
Leaves my lexicon on shakey ground
And I am found
wanting,

Always,

More...

More truth

In each word as it falls from your lips
Exceeding the ease at which 
phrases spew from your fingertips

More depth


As we dance cheek to cheek
To the tinkle of our tongues
Unmasked in rhythms; unlimited to
BB font

More life

In each moment that we choose to relate
More consciousness:
in each worded breath that we take
More love:
in the way that you say my name
Less poison in our texts when we don't see the same

Why is it so easy to be curt and to be mean
When we choose to hide behind illuminated talking screens?

So, yes, I have become a screen saver
Advocate for human speech,
Hero of words flavored
Defender of touch and heavenly hugs,
Meeting for coffee
And life with a view

So,
join me if you want...

After all,
I just called to say:

I love you!

©2013 Allison Marche' Pillay

Brave Enough To Love

I can hardly believe that it has been seven sad months since my last post. In fact, I am ashamed that I let it go this long. The funny thing is, that it was not just because I was busy or un-inspired- but rather that I was afraid. 
Afraid of the truth. A truth that kept me so "busy" I could not break away to find my soul to write about it.

A truth I did not think I could truly face- up until a few hours ago.

A truth that envelopes me to the very core of my being: 
I am a human being and love scares me.

See, these past few months, I had been "deciding" whether or not I wanted this "love" thing. There's so much literature out there, and advice from others that can leave you flustered at times. The enemy can use pain and disappointment to make you falsely believe that God has forgotten about you (NEVER!!!) and self-pity or reckless abandonment can soon set in. 
Very Dangerous. So once again, I thought I had embarked on what would have been a world-romance, but only turned out to be just another gust of wind to knock me off my feet leaving me to pick up the pieces. I feel a "Wedding Singer" version of "Love Stinks" coming on...!

See, the trouble, is that all these past instances were really not Love. Not even slightly Love. Remotely Love. In fact, it was barely even friendship. It was really me wanting to see what I wanted to see to avoid loneliness, heartbreak or having to wait on God. It was two people creating an alternate reality which couldn't be further from the truth of God's Word. It was convenience and lust, obligation and desire, disagreement and disunity. "Where there is agreement- God commands his blessing"- a verse not only to be applied on Tuesday prayer meetings. For God requires us to walk in unity if His blessing is to abound. 

Sometimes, we need to read the signs for what they are. Maya Angelou said:
"When someone shows you who they are- believe them". Don't keep wishing and hoping they will change along the way by all your "niceness". Niceness doesn't get you to heaven. And if a guy (even a "Christian" one, in the church, ministering the Word) approaches you with words inconsistent with God's Holy Truth- shut it down! A REAL MAN OF GOD WOULD NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER 
(I don't care what his position in the church may be) compromise your values, purity and stand in Christ. So, don't fall for those honey-dipped lies of compromise. #ShutItDown

Oh, I am tired of falling. Falling down. Falling in Love. Falling for Lies. Falling period. It hurts. It confuses. It takes up my time and I always tend to "read" the signs wrong. The funny thing is, I am so much happier of a person when I am dead center in God's perfect will- so why do I need to conform to society and the "churches" standards? See, the problem with the wrong kind of love is that it messes with your identity- who God called you to be. The Bible says that:

"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."
-1 John 4:18

Jesus is teaching me this through the power of His Holy Spirit: "Love perfects us". Love should never have to hurt, leave you lonely, be abusive (verbally, physically, emotionally or otherwise), compromise your values, change who you are- but rather embrace you-the real you. Ultimately; divinely- bringing out the best in you. For a long time in my life, I have been afraid to love because I spent most of my adult life getting acquainted with what Love is Not. But, today I look to Jesus the " author and perfecter of my faith" (Hebrews 12:2) and realise His Love gives me true freedom, joy, peace, self-esteem and power. His Love gives me the courage to Love and the braveness to Love again. I am slowly begin to realise and soak in this vital truth:

Jesus Loves Me- so much so- that He won't allow me to accept anything less than His perfect love when it comes to receiving it: True Love.

"We love him, because He first loved us".- 1 John 4:19

Love is Good. God is Love (1 John 4:8) and when that God of Love is leading this crucial part of your life (Yes- your Love Life!) things start to happen in the Spirit that manifest in the natural. So, in three short weeks, I have begun to realise three eternal truths:

1. God wants to heal me even more badly than I want to be healed.
2. His perfect love NEVER FAILS- no matter how many times I do.
3. TRUE LOVE IS REAL and God wants to give me a Forever Love Story.

So, that being said- I guess it's time for me to stand up and be counted amongst those leaders in the faith who were Brave enough to Love.
I hope my that my braveness ignites a spark for generations to come.

We are a peculiar people after all! 

"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light"- 1 Peter 2:9
 

Be #INCouraged

In Christ

©2013 Allison Marche' Pillay

No Substitutes

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your patience :) Finals are here once again, and so I have been with my blog in spirit for these past weeks- but today I check in!

I trust that you are all enjoying the season that God has placed you in. What a crazy bunch of weeks these have been! God has truly been doing some amazing things in this past month, and once again- this topic of love, singleness and marriage has floated to the surface of many discussions. I have been pondering many things lately; thoughts, experiences and revelations from past, present and dare I say- future lol! So, this may be your cup of tea, and if not, pass it on- but please share the truth. You never know who needs to hear it.

I think as women we "get" Christ faster because we know what it is to be 
wanted, loved, rescued, redeemed, sanctified and made whole. We are created to be saved, rescued, fought for, loved and adored. We want to belong to someone and are created to partner with them in a vision to extend God's Kingdom. It's so built-in to our being, our hard-drive. Love us right and you will have a Worshiper, Warrior and Wow-Man! for life :)

Christ also empowers women. In every encounter He had with them He sets them free emotionally, physically, spiritually, psychologically, and even financially. There is not one woman that left the presence of Jesus the same way!!!

Jesus continually washes us with the water of His Word- Ephesians 5:26.
His Love is Amazing! He Loves us into Perfection. He covers our Sins. He Redeems Us. His Love makes us Beautiful. In His arms we become the women we've always dreamed we would be:
Incredible! Irresistible! Unstoppable!

We also learn how to submit to HIM, walk in obedience- trust Him to lead us....
Stuff, we will need for marriage right? I would think so.

So, in essence- our ability and obedience as single women to follow Christ enables us to understand God's plan for marriage- (which is in essence- merely a blueprint for Christ and the Church.)

So, how do men respond to Christ? In their manliness I presume. They relate to Jesus as a man, a mentor and an example. And they should.

Ephesians 5:25-28 says " A husband should love his wife as much as Christ loved the church and have his life for it. He made the church holy by the power of His word, and He made it pure by washing it with water.

Christ did this, so that He would have a glorious and holy church, without faults or spots or wrinkles or any other flaws. In the same way a husband should love his wife as much as he loves himself. A husband who loves his wife shows that he loves himself. " 

Verse 33 goes on to say, "so each husband should love his wife as much as he loves himself, and each wife should respect her husband."

So the bottom line ladies is: Can He love you like Christ Does?

See, I think us woman got this "Love" thing down: The sacrifice, the adoration, the commitment, the putting him first etc. The desire to love is in-built within us. After all, God made Eve for Adam. So, once we think Adam sees us we like go into that "mode" of "I'm going to be all you need!!!"
Am I right? Lol!

Guess I'm calling it out tonight! Ooh now. I touched a nerve.

Ladies,[Allison], sisters- let's just rest in the Lord. If Mr Perfect walks in the door tomorrow (please Lord haha!) the one thing on my mind and heart should be:


Will he love me like Christ does? 

That's the standard right there.
#NoSubstitutes

Until then...

Keep Becoming His Best

For His Glory
 
© 2012 Allison Pillay

Love is a Fruit

I love journals. Seriously I do. 

It is always so encouraging to go back to old posts, protests and prayers and witness just how the hand of God has carried you through time. And some entries are just timeless. I was encouraged by one such entry from a while back.

"There is ultimately no loss in Love, for by opening up your heart to another- you can only grow. Love is the antithesis of all commodities, because when you choose to give it away, it always comes back- in one form or another. The economics of Love is that it is always in demand, and our most reliable supplier- God- never runs out! By being connected to Divine Love we are made innately aware of new things. For even when love is not reciprocated, love in its truest essence and noblest intentions is never wasted. In the end- when all has fallen away and everything has been shaken- Love will still be standing. 

"This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain."                         Hebrews12:27

The challenge in each day should thus not be merely to succeed, attain or overcome, but to love divinely. We find the key in Jesus. Love (not merely the idea of it) is practical not theoretical. They say: " Better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all?" Yet, love is not a trade- off or barter. Love in its purest form is a willing sacrifice. It says, " I have weighed up the options and I choose to put you first". Like Jesus who basically said, " though I have to die- I give my life for you to live." Love is a Choice.

See, when flutterings falter, looks fade, cash flow slows, attraction dies and chemistry fizzles out, Love says: " I will still choose you". Think about it, Jesus knew exactly how many times we would mess up, fail Him and yet still chose to die for and love us every single day! That's amazing! How can we love like that?

Love says: "Regardless of what I can get from you, I will seek your face and not just your hand. I will seek your heart and not just your wallet. I will seek your good and not just my gain."

Thus, there is ultimately no loss in Love because it is always a choice. A choice to believe that anything is possible. Love is the greatest adventure. There are no winners or losers in Love because it's never a game. 
It's a fruit, so cultivate it, eat it, share it and in doing so- learn from the Master Himself."

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

                                                                                          John 15:13

Till then, 

Keep Becoming His Best...

 
© 2012 Allison Pillay

The Princess Diaries

My Dear Friends,

Call me a Princess, but part of me can't wait to get to heaven just to try on my gown and dress. Yes, I dream of a full on Disney sequence, in HD colour and surround sound! Jesus, my prince waltzing down the stairs and leading me onto the dance floor (think Beauty and the Beast- minus the Beast).

I am captured by the thought of spending an eternity with Him. I am homesick for the place I come from. For the One I love.

I long for heaven, yet while here on foreign soil, I must not forget who I am. He has called me by Name- I am His. Below is one of my favorite verses from Psalm 45, describing what it means to be a Princess for Him- the privilege and the responsibility.

Listen, O daughter, consider and give ear:

Forget your people and your father’s house. 

11The king is enthralled by your beauty;

honor him, for he is your lord. 

12The Daughter of Tyre will come with a gift,

men of wealth will seek your favor. 

13All glorious is the princess within [her chamber];

her gown is interwoven with gold. 

14In embroidered garments she is led to the king;

her virgin companions follow her

and are brought to you. 

15They are led in with joy and gladness;

they enter the palace of the king. 

16Your sons will take the place of your fathers;

you will make them princes throughout the land. 

17I will perpetuate your memory through all generations;

therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever.

This psalm, although originally sung by King David for a wedding, captures so beautifully the privilege and wonder of being called a daughter of the Most High: A Princess of the Kingdom of Eternity.

As a Princess of God's Kingdom you are:

- Loved

- Cherished

- Accepted

- Adored

- Protected

- Empowered

- Adopted

- Clothed

- Called

- Wanted

As His Daughter you receive Divine:

- Identity

- Protection

- Assistance 

- Wealth

- Honor

- Favor

- Grace

- Fruitfulness

- Blessings

- Respect

You are marked with His Royal seal. You are chosen by Him.

He has held out His scepter towards you. #You are Accepted.

So, when you find yourself struggling to breathe in this atmosphere, blinded by the pressures of this foreign world, remember- this is not your natural habitat. You are born of God, Created for Destiny and Life in the Spirit. Called to the Higher Life, in the world and not of it. [Romans 12:2]

You are redeemed. You are royalty. You are His. 

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." [1 Peter 2:9] NIV

Till then...

Keep Becoming His Best

© 2012 Allison Pillay

 

WhO dO YoU tHiNk YoU ARE???

Welcome friends,

It's the end of another great week and God has indeed been FAITHFUL :)
In fact, He has surpassed my expectations!

Do you know what's my favorite attribute of God? Besides of course His Faithfulness, Awesome Power and Incredible Love? It's His ability to always show up. Every time. Especially, when we need Him. And we always do.. :)
 
Did you know that God knows absolutely everything about you? Every minute detail of your life, every whispered prayer? Even those things that we think He won't understand- because He is God and seems so far removed from the troubles of this world? He listens, He hears, He feels: With you, For you.

His plans for you are good. REALLY GOOD. REALLY, REALLY GOOD. :)
Can you believe it? God doesn't just love you- He actually likes you! Just as you are! Isn't that incredible!

When we begin to see ourselves through the eyes of a kind, caring, compassionate Father, we begin to see- to understand who we truly are. We find our purpose and align ourselves with God's opinion of us and His authority over us. We are empowered to walk in that authority through Jesus, and heaven's angels begin to recognise and respond to us as God's own children. The words of God in Jesus' mouth have the same power when we speak them. Therefore: Heaven pays attention when we speak the Word of God over and into our lives, families and nations.

"Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?" (Hebrews 1:14)

As believers in His Son we become the Righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Basically, God sees Jesus, living in us, through us, for Him. 

"For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ." (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Something wonderful happens when we actually BELIEVE God's opinion of us: We begin to walk in agreement with Him. And we know that agreement, or unity of mind and purpose is a powerful tool. Throughout generations, alliances have brought down kingdoms and built empires. Imagine then, what could happen when we start to agree with The Great I Am?

The word symphony is derived from Greek συμφωνία (symphonia), meaning "agreement or concord of sound".

 

When we agree with God's perception of us- two sounds become one. One beautiful melody resounding into the halls of Eternity. We align the instrument of our life with God as our composer, and follow His notes so that we too can sing the sweeter song of Destiny. 

Heaven is waiting; Earth is groaning for the sons of God to be revealed. (Romans 8:19)

We are ambassadors of Heaven, heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. (Romans 8:17)

We are more than conquerors through Him who loves us. 
(Romans 8:37)

Let's begin to think and act and live in agreement with who God says we are.

Who do you think you are?

Here's a link to remind you: 
http://www.joycemeyer.org/articles/ea.aspx?article=knowing_who_i_am_in_christ

Until later ...

Keep Becoming His Best
 
© 2012 Allison Pillay